Wheel-supported road scraper attachable with and operable from a roadworking power unit



Nov. 12 1968 w. E. MARTIN 3410009 WHEEL-SUPPORTED ROAD SCRAPER ATTACHABLE WITH AND OPERABLE FROM A ROAD-WORKING POWER UNIT Filed Aug. 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTLJR:

3,410,009 E WITH AND BLE FROM A ROAD-WORKING POWER UNIT W. E. MARTIN -SUPPORTED ROAD SCRAPER ATTACHABL Nov. 12, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WHEFL OPERA -a.*.-.i Aug. 19, 1965 IN VENTOR: William E'Mazrzm United States Patent WHEEL-SUPPORTED ROAD SCRAPER ATTACHA- BLE WITH AND OPERABLE FROM A ROAD- WORKING POWER UNIT William E. Martin, Martin Company, P.O. Box 187,

Kewanee, Ill. 61443 Filed Aug. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 481,024 3 Claims. (Cl. 37-126) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A road working two part scraper bowl having coacting movable bowl parts pivotally joined together and supported on a mobile frame having supporting wheel means at one end and universal supporting means at the other end, with link units to carry the universal means from a multipurpose power vehicle including power apparatus to swing the link units for frame and bowl height regulation through said universal means in relation to a surface being worked by said scraper.

This invention relates to a road working scraper constructed and arranged as an attachable assembly partially wheel supported and partially supported and operated from a power unit such as a road working tractor of a conventional multipurpose operational vehicle type.

More specifically, this invention comprises a mobile scraper of the self-loading and self-unloading character which receives its operational power from wheeled power unit that supports one end of the scraper for its manipulation and maneuverability, including suitable conventional hydraulic power connections to carry out the designed functions of the scraper.

One of the objects of the scraper of the present invention is to provide a scraper bowl structure having wheel means to support one portion of the scraper bowl structure in a workable relation to the ground and having attachable universal means for connection with a power vehicle to support another portion of the scraper bowl structure in a further predetermined relation to the ground, said attachable means functioning to adjust the other portion of the scraper bowl structure to readily facilitate the loading, carrying and unloading activities of such scraper bowl structure.

Another object is to provide an attachable means of the character above noted which permits suitable steering and maneuvering of the scraper bowl structure as governed by the power vehicle through the operator of that vehicle.

A still further object is to provide a mobile scraper having a bowl structure which readily loads material, carrys a material load and unloads such material without the use or presence of a material ejector apparatus to cause the discharge of material from the bowl structure.

A further object is to provide a scraper bowl structure that is provided with two relatively moving cooperative load carrying bowl parts that are constructed as a material loading bowl section and a movable closure bowl hood shaped and installed to carry the greater portion of the material load in the scraper bowl assembly.

Another object is to cause the scraper hood to assume various positions in relation to the companion scraper bowl structure or part to carry out the material pickup, conveyance of, and the discharge of a material load under the road working conditions of this scraper-vehicle combination.

All other objects and advantages of the attachable scraper apparatus of this invention shall hereinafter appear in or become evident from the following detailed description of the invention having reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the scraper apparatus of this invention as it appears when operatively connected with a power road vehicle which also supplies all needed hydraulic power through conventional supply lines controlled by an operator from his seat on the power vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the equipment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the scraper bowl structure having a modified bowl and hood control means;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified support structure for the mobile scraper bowl apparatus to illustrate its attachment to a road vehicle of another type; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detailed cross sectional view of a modified coupling arrangement for substitution between the scraper assembly support links and the scraper bowl frame as the same would appear if viewed along the line 55 in the FIG. 1 position.

Referring to the drawings, the scraper assembly 1 of the present design and invention is connected with a conventional power unit 2 of the type used to haul and manipulate road working equipment. Such a power unit 2 is a wheeled steerable vehicle having a hydraulic power supply source and power lines available and connectible with the hydraulic power units of the road working devices hitched to the vehicle and which is provided with suitable lever valving means that are located within easy reach of an operator to regulate and operate the various working mechanisms of the road working units such as the scraper assembly 1 of this design and construction. The various hydraulic power lines are not shown in the drawings to better and more clearly show the salient features and essential novel working mechanisms of the scraper unit.

The scraper assembly 1 comprises a U-frame 1a having sides 3 and 4, a transverse back 5 with a cross tube 6 connected between the forward open terminal ends of the sides 3 and 4, this elevated tube providing the forward rigid support means of the frame and scraper bowl assembly. A wheel bracket 7 is secured to tube 6 and depends therefrom to the wheel assembly 8 providing spaced wheels 9 and 10 on axle means 11 furnishing the forward fulcrum unit upon which the frame 2 is pivotally mounted and laterally rockable to a limited extent to follow the terrain of the ground or surface being worked.

The rear or back wall 5 of the bowl frame is made to carry a universal coupling arrangement with vertically spaced trunnions 12 and 13 to provide bearing supports for the upright pivotal shaft 14. An intermediate bearing bracket 15 is carried between the trunnions 12 and 13 and it is swingably pivoted on the upright shaft 14. Spaced swingable supporting links 16 and 17 are pivotally connected at opposite side faces of the bearing bracket 15 on a cross shaft 18 that is laterally supported by the bearing bracket 15.

Both support links 16 and 17 are releasably connected on suitable bearing units on the wheeled vehicle 2, such units being here shown as aligned stub shafts or pins 19 and 20. Hydraulic power cylinders 21 and 22 are mounted for swinging motion on pins or shafts 23 and 24 secured to the wheeled vehicle 2 and the piston rods or rams 25 and 26 of these cylinders are pivotally connected with pins 27 and 28 mounted on the links 16 and 17.

The link and cylinder combination provide a means to regulate the maneuverability of the frame structure of the scraper assembly and to adjust the vertical position of the rear part of the scraper assembly as fulcrumed upon the front support wheel assembly 8, all through the bearing bracket and trunnion mechanism of the character hereinbefore described.

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the universal trunnion mechanism wherein greater lateral rocking is possible be tween the wheeled power vehicle 2 and the scraper assembly 1. The construction shown in FIG. 5 shows a variation in the bearing bracket a which has a slot 29 of pin 18 width or diameter but which is flared vertically at 30 and 31 to permit the pin or shaft 18 to rock in the slot 29. Both bracket faces 32 and 33 of bracket 15a are rounded to let the bearing bracket tilt freely between the links 16 and 17.

The scraper bowl per se is constructed with a vertically arranged rear wall first section 34 secured to the wall 5 of the U-shaped frame In which is flanked by short side wings 35 and 36. A material cutting blade 37 is secured to the bottom of the rear wall section 34 and the latter is curved downwardly and forwardly at 38 for contiguous alignment with the cutting blade 37 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A large closure hood 39 is constructed to provide a sectiond section to cooperate with the first wall section 34 to form the complete scraper bowl to load, carry and to unload material being handled. The hood 39 comprises a material carrying cradle 40 comprising side walls 41 and 42 that are pivotally connected to swing upon pins or stub shafts 43 and 44 supported on the side wings 35 and 36 of the cooperative first Wall section 34.

Cradle 40 has a contiguous curved front portion 45 and bottom material carrying portion 46 that terminates with a closing rearward edge 47 that can be made to contact the blade 37 when the hood 39 is fully closed for material transport activity. A transverse tube 48 is secured between the side walls 41 and 42 adjacent the forward cradle top to stabilize and strengthen the material carrying hood 39 and all of its associated swingable elements above described. The curved bottom hood portion 46 also acts as a skid or screed for readily passing over the ground causing some leveling of material to promote effective and even loading of the material across the full width of the two section scraper bowl assembly. By the same token, the distribution of material will also be well carried out over the width of the scraper at the discharge area due to the relatively evenly loaded bowl across the width thereof.

Rocking and adjustable regulation of the hood 39 is accomplished through hydraulic cylinders 49 and 54} located at the forward end of the scraper bowl assembly. A central mounting bracket 51 is secured to cross tube 6 of the frame structure 1a and this bracket provides a transverse mounting shaft 52 to pivotally carry the cylinders 49 and at 53 and 54.

Spaced arms 55 and 56 are attached to the cross tube 48 of the hood 39 and carry stub shafts or pins 57 and 58 for pivotal connection with the rams 59 and 60 of the cylinders 49 and 50. With the arrangement described, expansion of the cylinders 49 and 50 causes the hood 39 to swing counterclockwise into a dumping position as shown in brokn lines in FIG. 2, while contraction of the cylinders brings the hood 39 to a completely closed position with edge 47 in contact with blade 37 or into a bowl filling position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 providing a gap between blade 37 and hood edge 47.

When the tractor or power vehicle supports the scraper bowl assembly as shown in FIG. 2 and with the hood tilted as shown, movement of the scraper bowl structure causes material to feed spirally over and away from the cutting and pickup blade 37 along the curved wall portion 38 of the wall section 34 and over into the material carrying hood section of the scraper bowl assembly thus rotationally filling the two sections of the hood through the gap 61 shown in FIG. 2.

After the hood bowl portion 40 is filled by the spirally boiling material rolling into the sections 34 and 39 of the bowl through the forward motion of vehicle 2, the

hood is closed by cylinders 49 and 50 and the scraper bowl assembly is then "raised through the cylinders 21 and 22 acting on links 16 and 17 to lift the cutting blade 37 out of the ground gouging position. The collected load is then transported to the dumping site and by activating cylinders 49 and 50, the material can be fed out of the hood or completely dumped by the operator according to the conditions presented in the field of operation of the dual vehicle equipment above described.

By varying the gap of material entry at 61, different quantities of material can be loaded per unit of time. When full, the bowl assembly can be moved to its destination by steering the wheeled power unit which will readily maneuver the bowl on its front end wheel support.

FIG. 3 illustrates a modified construction wherein the hood 39 is rocked about its pivotal mountings by opposite side mounted hydraulic cylinders such as 62 located at each side of the frame 1a. Each of the cylinders 62 is pivotally mounted on frame pins 63 and each cylinder ram 64 is pivotally connected with the hood 39 through pins 65 as well shown in FIG. 3. This construction removes the arm and cylinder mechanism from the forward upper end of the scraper bowl assembly and lowers the overall height of this scraper attachment to provide a better view for the operator.

On other modified construction appears in FIG. 4 wherein the original links 16 and 17 are replaced by the rearwardly and downwardly curved links 66 that are pivotally mounted and attached to the trunnions 67 that normally carry the arms of a bulldozer assembly, such arms and dozer being removed to permit the attachment of the links 66 described.

Arms or links 66 are raised and lowered or regulated by means of cylinders such as 68 pivoted at 69 on the power vehicle and disposed with their rams 70 pivotally connected with links 66 by means of pins 71. FIG. 4 shows the downward position of the arrangement and scraper bowl parts so that such means will be readily raised by the links upon cylinder activation to raise the bowl assembly and cutting blade as required and needed for transport purposes or the like.

The foregoing description has been directed to a preferred construction of the concept of the present invention and to several modifications thereof. Such description and the disclosures described are only to be construed as examples and not as limitations of the inventive construction. Certain changes and other modifications are contemplated without departing from the fundamental concept of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A push type scraper adapted for releasable attachment with a wheeled power vehicle for operative material handling in an area ahead of and forwardly beyond the power vehicle comprising a material moving scraper bowl having cooperative relatively movable bowl sections to load, carry and unload materials, pivotal means directly joining said bowl sections together and in coacting material handling relation to each other, a frame to support said cooperative bowl sections through fixed attachment with one of said bowl sections, said frame having Wheel means connected therewith to support one portion thereof in a given relation with respect to the surface being worked, and a universal coupling means connected with another portion of said frame to support said other portion of the frame and the scraper bowl thereof in a given relation to the surface being worked, said coupling means 'being releasably connected with the power vehicle to support the frame therefrom including power means to raise and lower the adjacent vehicle end of said frame and its connected scraper bowl with the wheel means providing the fulcrum facilities for said frame during the manipulation of said power means.

2. A push type scraper adapted for releasable attachment with a wheeled power vehicle for operative material handling in an area ahead of and forwardly beyond the power vehicle comprising a material moving scraper bowl having cooperative relatively movable bowl sections to load, carry and unload materials, pivotal means directly connecting said bowl sections together and in coacting material handling relation to each other, a frame to support said cooperative bowl sections through fixed securement with one of said bowl sections, said frame having wheel means connected therewith to support one portion thereof in a given relation with respect to the surface being worked, and a universal coupling means connected with another portion of said frame to support said other portion of the frame and the scraper bowl thereof in a given relation to the surface being worked, said coupling means being releasably connected with the power vehicle to support the frame therefrom including power means to raise and lower the adjacent vehicle end of said frame and its connected scraper bowl with the wheel means providing the fulcrum facilities for said frame during the manipulation of said power means, said relatively movable pivotally connected bowl sections comprising one section having a digging bowl filling blade with the other section thereof providing a load carrying hood operatively mounted for motion toward and away from said filling blade of said one section.

3. A push type scraper adapted for releasable attachment with a wheeled power vehicle for operative material handling in an area ahead of and forwardly beyond the power vehicle comprising a material moving scraper bowl having cooperative relatively movable bowl Sections to load, carry and unload materials, a frame to support said cooperative bowl sections, said frame having wheel means connected therewith to support one portion thereof in a given relation with respect to the surface being worked,

and a universal coupling means connected with another portion of said frame to support said other portion of the frame and the scraper bowl thereof in a given relation to the surface being worked, said coupling means being releasably connected with the power vehicle to support the frame therefrom including power means to raise and lower the adjacent vehicle end of said frame and its connected scraper bowl with the wheel means providing the fulcrum facilities for said frame during the manipulation of said power means, said relatively movable bowl sections comprising one section having a digging bowl filling blade with the other section thereof providing a load carrying hood operatively mounted for motion toward and away from said filling blade of said one section, said one bowl section with its blade being fixedly secured to said frame and said other bowl section being pivotally connected with said one section, and power means are connected with said frame and said other movable bowl section to regulate and adjust the position of tilt of said bowl section in relation to said one frame attached bowl section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,500 4/1937 Maloon. 2,125,479 8/1938 Zagelmeyer 280-515 X 2,416,592 2/ 1947 Patterson. 2,502,217 3/1950 Guibor 37-129 X 2,483,033 9/1949 Baker 37-124 X 3,059,356 10/1962 Lorang. 3,234,670 2/1966 Fryer et al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 131,995 6/1951 Sweden.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

A. E. KOPECKI, Assistant Examiner. 

